The poem seems light at first,an easy metaphor, but when you read it again after watching the video, it was indeed chilling, even frightening in that 'evil clown' way, except of course, I'm identifying with puppet.

I'm amazed that I have not seen this amazing performance before. My former cat companion, Pierette, was named for Pierrot. This sad clown in the French commedia tradition is well used in your poem!

Brilliant. Brevity even enhances your power image.

So much is going on here: Male-female, parent-child, government-individual, pusher-junkie--and as the latter dances on strings, she may wonder indeed! There is a sense that she took the strings willingly, and then the realization that cutting loose would mean death. Better never to have wanted what the pusher had to sell? Not to your film-maker. But you leave the question open.